Guide for the ball float of flush tanks



Jan. 12, 1960 J. BUFOGLE GUIDE FOR THE BALL FLOAT OF FLUSH TANKS 7 Filed New 18, 1957 FIG. 2

ATTORNEY$ Uflitd Pate t GUIDE FOR THE BALL FLOAT OF FLUSH TANKS This invention relates to a guide for the ball float of a flush tank and the application is a continuation in part i of'co-pending application Serial No. 622,072.

Aniobject of the invention is to provide a guide which limits the movement of the ball float to thereby control the i'novement of the inlet valve so as-to limit the overmore the amount required to raise the water in the toilt bowl to theproper level after flushing.

@ther object of the invention is to providea guide ofEaideharactEf which functions to limit the movement of 'tli ballflbat'irl a vertical pl'ane so as to'reduced the wear b'fi th pivotal connec tions" of the moving partsand prevent contact of the ball float with the side of the tank. Still another object of the invention is to provide a guide for tlie ballfloat which is adjustable "for accommodating theg'requiredw' movement thereof for various types of flush tanks. u p I I M object-of the inventionj '1sto provide fguide ;-adjustable forvarying the elevation thereadjustable for spacing the samefvarying the-rear wall'of th'e tank is adjustable e r fi'i tillfla riother *objectof the inventiori isi to provrde ian adjustable gfiidein-"the 'form of a braek'et adapted 1 to -be readily affixed to and removed from the wall of a flush tank.

, Another feature of the invention is the saving of water effected by the guide due to the limiting of the movement of the ball float thereby avoiding unnecessary overflow.

With the aforesaid and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a toilet flush tank with the operating parts shown in full and with a guide for the ball float constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the guide bracket and guide.

The usual ball float of a standard flush tank has movement from a substantially horizontal level to a lowered relation with the discharge of the water from the tank. This functions to move the inlet valve towide open relation with a consequent sudden flow of a large volume of water into the tank. In the present invention, the guide is constructed for confining the ball float to movement in an upright plane and for limiting the downward movement thereof so as to limit the opening movement of the inlet valve and thereby avoid the sudden flow of a large quantity of water into the tank as well as reducing the wear and tear on the operating parts of the inlet valve and preventing contact of the ball float with the side wall of the tank.

The standard flush tank illustrated in the drawings includes the usual inlet pipe 11 having an inlet valve 12 2 at the upper end thereof and with a ball float 13 mounted on the outer end of a rod 14 which is connected with the inlet valve for opening the same when the water is discharged from the tank by a flushing operation andfor closing the inlet valve when the water in the tankraises the ball float to the proper level.' The tank also in-"' cludes a discharge pipe 17 which is connected with a toilet bowl (notshown) and is provided with a valve seat 18 located within the tank with the usual valve element 19 for closing off the flow therethrough; The valve "1 element 19 is connected by a guide rod 21 and a link 22 with an arm 23 pivotally mounted on the side wall of the tank and having an operating lever 24 protruding; through an opening in the wall of the tank for manually raising the valve element 19 for flushing the toilet. With the discharge of water' from the tank, the ball float- 13" descends'to open the inlet valve 11 to thereby'refill the tank. At the same time water is also dischargedfrom' a pipe 25 into an overflow pipe 26 connected with thedischarge pipe 17 for filling the bowl to the proper level after flushing. a Q

The guide is so constructed that the same may be- 'conveniently installed in any standard flush tank. The guide includes a supporting member 28, a'vertically adjustable" member 29 and an inwardly and angularly adjustable guide membei30. N k

Thesupportingmember 28 in the form of 'abra'cketi includes an elongated flat strip 31 having ahooked up er) end 32 adapted toengage over the rear wall of the tankso as to dispose the strip 31 in upright relation adjacent the inside faceo f the said wall. The-adjustablemember 29 is of angulated formation and includes an upwardly extending leg 33 and an inwardly extending leg 34. The leg 33 isdisposed against the inner face of the elongated strip 31 and is adjustably moiintedtherdfi for var ing the elevationoftheinwardly extending leg 34. For this purpose the strip 3l isformedwith-a' longitudinally e'x-"- teriding' slot 35 through which slideably engages a stud 36 which protrudes through a square hole 37 in the leg 33 and through an opening 38 in a band member 39. The band member 39 overlies the forward face of the leg 33 and extends about the longitudinal side edges of said leg 33 and the strip 31 with the free ends of said band member disposed against the rear face of said strip. The stud 36 is provided with a head 40 which engages against the rear face of the strip 31 with the protruding end of the stud engaged by a wing nut 41 for tightening the band against the leg 33 and securely holding the adjustable member 29 in any desired set position on the supporting member 28. i

The guide member 30 is also of angulated formation and includes an upwardly extending leg 42 and a horizontally disposed leg 43. The upwardly extending leg 42 is cutand bent to provide two forwardly disposed fingers 44 and an offset rearwardly disposed finger 45 which is arranged intermediate the fingers 44 for guidedly receiving the rod 14 of the ball float 13 therebetween. The said guide member is adjustable longitudinally of the inwardly extending leg 34 for disposing the same in varying adjusted spaced relation with reference to the supporting member 28. For this purpose the inwardly extending leg 34 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 46 through which slideably engages a stud 47 extending through an opening 48 in float of any standard type of flush tank so as .to confine the ball float to. movement in a vertical plane and for limiting the downward movement thereof so as to limit the opening movement of theinlet valve.

The band member 39 retains the adjustable member 29 in parallel relation with the fiat strip 31 and prevents canting of the said adjustable member. Constructed in this manner the adjustable member 29 and the guide member 30 may be adjusted for disposing the fingers 44 and 45 at the desired elevation in the tank and in the desired spaced relation from the wall supporting the bracket member 28 for guidedly receiving the rod 14"of the ,ball float between the'said fingers. It is to be understood that the ball float varies in its elevation and in its distance from the rear wall in various types of flush tanks. It also varies in its position with reference to the inlet valve. The adjustability of the aforesaid parts permits of positioning the guide member 30 so as to accommodate the location of the ball float of the various types of flush tanks while the angular adjustability of the guide member permits of the positioning thereof in angular relation with reference to the bracket so as to accommodate the angular arrangement of the rod 14 of the ball float of cer- J tain types of flush tanks.

While the preferred form of the invention'has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention. 7

What is claimed is: I

1. A guide bracket including a downwardly directed portion provided with a longitudinally extending slot and having a hooked upper end, an angulated member having upwardly and inwardly directed legs, said inwardly directed leg having a longitudinally extending slot and said upwardly directed leg having an opening therein, means slidable in the longitudinally extending slot of said downwardly directed portion and extending through the opening in said upwardly directed leg for adjustably securing said angulated member in selectively fixed position on said downwardly directed portion, a guide member including an upwardly directed leg and a laterally extending leg, means slidable and pivotal in the slot of '4 V said inwardly directed leg of said angulated member and extending through said laterally extending'leg of said guide member adjustably securing said guide member in various set positions on said inwardly directed leg for varying the spacing of said guide member with reference to said downwardly directed portion and for varying the angular relation of the upwardly directed leg of said guide member with reference to said downwardly directed portion, and said upwardly directed leg of said guide member having laterally offset fingers adapted to slidably receive a member therebetween for confining said member to movement in a susbtantially vertical plane and limiting the downward movement thereof.

2. A guide bracket including a downwardly directed portion having a hooked upper end, an angulated member having upwardly and inwardly directed legs, a guide member having upwardly and laterally extending legs, means adjustably securing said upwardly directed leg of said angulated member on said downwardly directed portion for varying the elevation of said angulated member, means adjustably securing said laterally extending leg of said guide memberon said inwardly directed leg of said angulated-member for varying the spacing of said guide member with reference to said downwardly directed portion and for varying the angular relation of the upwardly directed leg of said guide member with reference to said downwardly directed portion, and said upwardly directed leg of said guide memberhaving ofiset portions adapted to slidably receive a member therebetween for confining said member .to movement in a substantially vertical plane and limiting the downward movement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 535,922 Rawe Mar, 19, 1895 1,037,679 Snyder Sept. 3, 1912 2,367,256 Atkins Ian. 16, 1945 2,542,591 Streety et a1. Feb. 20, 1951 2,665,869 Samuels Jan. 12, 1954 2,749,072 Long June 5, 1956 2,817,847 Spencer Dec. 31, 19 57 

